[Buddha-l] FW: Another One Bites the Dust

[Jo]

Re-sending. JK

-----Original Message-----
From: Jo [mailto:ugg-5 at spro.net] 
Sent: Monday, March 04, 2013 11:35 AM

Joy--I never read this one before--thanks.  

I'm astounded to see in #176 story the earth swallowing motif re: cheating
heroine (Sita in the Ramayana) and anti-heroine Cincamanavika----both for
the same reasons. 
Rama suspected Sita of having had sex with Ravana when she was captured and
hauled off by Rav. to Sri Lanka. He tested her when she was restored to him,
she passed--but "people gossiping" led Rama sgain to put her aside as a
cheater. Sita then calls on her mother the earth to take her, and it
swallows her up. (Etymologically Sita means "fissure" as made by a plow.) 

Then we have Cinca--who was a cheater (liar) and exposed after group
objections surfaced, she does not pass the test when a monk destroys her
disguise, and is swallowed up by the earth.

Ain't folklore wunnerful!

Best,
Joanna 
-----------------------------------------------

On Behalf Of Joy Vriens
Sent: Monday, March 04, 2013 10:15 AM
 [............]
Non Buddhists could still have been convinced because of Sakka's
intervention or by the cracking and fissuring swallowing up by the earth.But
for modern readers, the intervention of Sakka and his four rats and the
opening of the gates of Hell are a very suspicious Deux ex machina, rather
pointing to a clumsy cover up attempt.
[............]